FAITHWRITERS NEWSLETTERFaithWriters.com news and information for the write-brained Christian!

"So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."  Matthew 6:34

How true, right? If you're like me, you definitely have plenty of trouble every day. And wouldn't it be nice to NOT worry about anything? To NOT worry about how you're going to come up with the mortgage payment next month. To NOT worry about your kids safety or how you're going to fit everything in to your schedule this week. Wouldn't it be nice if NOT worrying was easy?

But it's not easy, is it? It's downright difficult! We need to train ourselves to NOT worry. When worry comes (and it will!), we need to refocus our thoughts. So what do we need to think about? That's easy: God. Everything He's done for us and the times He's brought us through. The times we can look back on and say, "Now why in the world did I ever worry about that?"

Trust God to take care of your future. He's got your back. So don't waste your time worrying. There's simply no point. Instead, focus on today and what you can do to make a difference in the Kingdom of God.

BREAKING NEWS

For those of you who are active on the boards, you probably already heard the news. But it's definitely worth repeating!

Plans are in the works for the next FaithWriters conference. No, not the conference to be held in 2011. The conference that is to take place in August, 2010. That's right, you heard me. NEXT YEAR'S conference!

Go ahead, let out a shout.

Because of the success of this year's conference, it has been decided to not wait another two years until the next one. The conference will once again be held in Livonia, Michigan and the line-up of speakers and workshops promises to be awesome! So start saving your pennies and mark your calendars for August 13 and 14, 2010.

Been thinking about becoming a FaithWriters 500 member? Now is a great time to join! Join today and you'll still have time to enter the annual Page Turner contest, exclusively for 500 members. The deadline to enter is October 31st. For details, including the complete prize package, visit the official contest page: http://www.faithwriters.com/page-turner.php

The second quarter of the Weekly Writing Challenge begins on October 1st. The Challenge is a wonderful way to exercise some discipline by writing to a topic, a deadline, and a word count. Get helpful feedback on your work, leave comments for others, practice new styles of writing, hone your talent, and have fun! Oh  and even get in on the chance to have your story or article published in a FaithWriters quarterly anthology. Plus, the top three Challenge entries of the year, as determined by an expert panel of judges, will walk away with a chunk of cold, hard cash!

Want to know how you did in the Challenge? Remember, just last month we introduced the Writing Challenge Ratings Feedback program. Now you can get professional feedback on your Challenge entries, including an overview of the judges' ratings in all 9 of the score sheet categories, as well as an assessment of where your entry rose to the challenge and where it fell flat. To find out more, visit Finesse Writing and Editing Services: http://www.finessewriting.com.au/FWFeedbackInformation.html

NEW FORUM ADDED

Are you dealing with chronic pain or illness? You're not alone. Many other FaithWriters members face the same challenges every day that you do. And now there's a forum just for you. Share experiences and information, offer virtual hugs and pray for one another in the Sufficient Grace forum. Click here to access the forum: http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=73

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF FAITHWRITERS

Confession time I goofed. I forgot to include October's question last month. So about a week before the newsletter was due, I scurried over to the message boards and posted the question there. I knew I could count on the active members of the boards to come through.

Here is the question:

What book are you reading right now and would you recommend it to a friend?

Several responses came in. Maybe you'll want to check out one of the following books yourself:

"I'm reading Christina Berry's The Familiar Stranger and I definitely would recommend it to a friend. First, because she is a friend of mine, and second because she uses a unique He said/She said POV that I haven't seen before."  Tammy Johnson

"Being in a rather British frame of mind after reading Linore's (Linore Rose Burkard) novels, I'm currently snacking on an old Patricia Wentworth mystery titled The Benevent Treasure. If character driven mysteries are your thing, I would try this one. It's short and features a recurring character called Miss Silver (rather like a Miss Marple) along with a host of other curious and strange companions."  Di Dart

"I am reading (on my Kindle, of course!) Lori Wick's Whispers of Moonlight which is book #2 of the Rocky Mountain Memories series. This series is about Colorado in the late 1800s, featuring the connection between two families. Is very good and I would recommend it."  Kim Russell

"I just finished The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Stearns. If you want a book that is going to motivate you to make some positive changes in the way you intentionally live your life, this is it!"  Connie D.